Heart of the Dunes

Walking into the heart of the dunes sounded appealing at the visitor center when I first entered one of the newest National Parks. But at the trailhead, with winds gusting upwards of 20 miles per hour, I had to rethink my decision, since all I could see in front of me was a wall of white blasting down my face.

I had visited White Sands National Park when it was still a National Monument and had hiked down the same trail to the heart of the sands. But back then, it was a calm balmy day, with a gentle breeze and mild temperatures. Quite unlike today.

I decided to go on, climbing over dune after endless white dunes, with nary a sign of life, all while getting sandblasted by pure white gypsum sand. I couldn't even turn back as my footprints were getting erased as fast as I created them. The only thing leading me own were the odd markers sticking above the ever shifting sand dunes.

I survived, but was coated in sand from head to toe. And my camera fared no better. But at least it continued to take photos.

White Sands National Park
NM USA

The Singing Sands

From the distance, it just appeared as a mass of white in a scorched desert environment. Plants seem to have shied away from this natural bowl between two mountain ranges where this mass lay. And as I got closer, the discernible shape of dunes emerged out of this mass of white.

White Sands was a surreal place, where the pure white gypsum sand place tricks with your mind: it looked like snow, behaved like sand, and flowed like salt, and yet, it had all the characteristics of a regular sand dune. And when the winds picked up and whipped into a frenzy, the dust storm of white sand was like nothing else.

I am excited to be returning back to this amazing place. And while it was a National Monument then, it has since been upgraded to a National Park status. Hopefully that brings more attention to this unique corner of New Mexico

White Sands National Park
NM USA

The Waterpocket Fold

There are not a lot of places on this planet where one can see the earth's surface folded up like a crumpled piece of paper. The Waterpocket fold that dominates the heart of Capitol Reef National Park in southern Utah is one of those other-worldly places where smooth red sandstone lies next to and above strata stretching back hundreds of millions of years.

And while I had only 36 hours to explore the nooks and crannies of this beautiful National Park, the sheer diversity of landscapes revealed by the Fremont river eroding away at the Waterpocket fold was mind-boggling. I hope I return some day to explore more of this unique corner of Utah.

Capitol Reef National Park
UT USA

Enchanting Hawaii

January tends to be one of the worst months in the Pacific Northwest. And the start of this year was no exception, with the region experiencing 30 days of continuous rain. Rivers became swollen, creeks water-logged, trails slushy, and the mood sour. It was a sign to spend time indoors, reconnect with friends and family, grab a few drinks, and go through my archives.

It was certainly the lousy weather that inspired me to look at the photos of Hawaii, where, in one single day, you could go from barren moonscapes to a sunny beach to lush rainforests to graceful sunset. I still miss the days I spent driving between through those diverse climes and eagerly looking forward to the next vista.

Maui
Hawaii

Sierra Monotones

The summer of 2015 was special for me in many ways; the foremost significance was doing one of my longest, and last, backpacks in the Sierra Nevada. I covered 55 miles over a week, hiking solo from one high alpine lake to another in a long circuit that traversed three mountain passes and cut through the famed Evolution and Dusy basin. It was an arduous trek, made even more challenging by the fact that I was all alone (most of the other hikers were PCT through hikers heading in the opposite direction.

Looking back at the photos I took made me realize what a stark contrast the rocky high-alpine climate of the Sierra Nevada was to the lush greenery of the Pacific Northwest. Rugged barren peaks with scant vegetation arose majestically from dark blue alpine lakes, with the moon a lonely dot in the heavily polarized sky. I hope these monotones capture the ethereal beauty of these craggy landscapes.

Kings Canyon National Park
CA USA

Getting High in Canada

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds…

Edward Abbey

O Canada
Why is one part of your country nothing but magnificent snow-capped peaks, glacier carved valleys and glistening blue lakes?
Why do you make it so photogenic and expansive?
Why do you make it so easy to immerse oneself in nature?

A weeklong trip to the heart of the Canadian Rockies near Banff yielded these and many more questions as I worked my way from one scenic location to another. I wish I could go back and check out these rocky monoliths one more time.

Canadian Rockies

Heart of the Isles

I had never expected a country filled with beautiful scenery, with windswept mountains alternating with blissfulyl green hills, with rugged coastlines interspersed by petite towns, to be also so culturally rich and full of character and passion. It was a study in contrast going from the capital city of Dublin, where tradition and modernity wove a tangled web of commerce and industry, to the pastoral countryside replete with old castles, charming town centers, delightful bed-and-breakfasts, and the ever-ubiquitous Irish pubs with lively folk music.

It wasn't a country that wowed me with grand spectacle the likes of Iceland and Chile, but it was the hidden charm of the little things that I got to discover exploring around. I wish I could return there under better conditions. Meanwhile, here is a sampling from the heart of the isles

Ireland

The Paths We Follow

If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads...

- Anatole France

For me, nothing excites me more than packing on a backpack and camera gear, and taking my first step on a path that leads into the mountains. Around every corner is a new surprise, a new sensation, and a new vista. And in the mountains of the French Alps, every turn brought about a new scenery, whether it be snow-capped peaks trailing into the horizon, the bountiful growth of colorful wildflowers or the sound of the cheerful cowbells of the local herd.

And on glorious mountain days like this, I cared not where the path took me, but where I currently was.

Tour du Mont Blanc
Europe

Granite Wonderland

I had stumbled upon this esoteric wilderness destination while sightseeing on Google Maps: a land of glistening blue lakes wrapped by granite monoliths in the least populated states of the country. I had docked the thought in my mind, and never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I'd actually get to visit this unspoilt backpacking destination.

It happened in the summer of 2015, as I was scouting for locations that did not require an advanced permit to visit, and realized that this backcountry was one of those destinations. But getting there wasn't going to be easy: a flight to Salt Lake City followed by a 5hr drive to a frontier town that was a last outpost of civilization, and a 15mi hike to the heart of the wilderness area in conditions that were nothing short of miserable.

But once the skies cleared and the sun shown, the vastness of the landscape oozed with an inescapable and indescribable beauty like no other.

I hope to return back to this remote backcountry area just to explore it's nooks and crannies once again.

Bridger Teton National Forest
WY USA

The Wild West

Soaring spires rising from a desolate rocky landscape interspersed by dusty road threading the undulating red rocks. This was the scenery that I found myself immersed in a sojourn in the desert southwest. Coming from the greenery of the Pacific Northwest, the stark red terrain felt as alien as the landscape on the moon. And as the glaring desert light started to fade, the hues tempered to the deeper shades of red and finally black, leaving behind inky dark silhouettes against a pastel shaded sky.

And this cycle reversed again in the morning: the light from the rising sun slipped through the fingers of earth and filtered through the clouds, creating fleeting visions of shadow and light on the monumental landscape around.

All this in one 24 hour cycle. The photographer in me wonders what an entire year would bring.

Desert Southwest
UT / AZ